What do you think should be the next air transportation technology?

Question

Should it be bigger airliners, faster airliners, vertical takeoff and landing airliners, or personal jet packs? Or should it be something else?

In the 1960s several designers were working on supersonic transports. The American SST was not funded by Congress and never flew. The Concorde flew successfully for several decades but was never a truly practical transportation system. The Russian SST, as far as I know, never made it into any kind of regular service.

The aviation industry responded with jumbo jets, which dominated air travel for decades. Now the trend seems to be smaller jets and more frequent flights--which overloads the air traffic control system.

Where would you like to see air transportation take us next? Hypersonic travel? Bigger jets such as the new Airbus? Or just a lot more of what we have now?

In the early 1930's American Airlines' C.R. Smith asked Douglas to design what became the DC-3. What should a modern C.R. Smith ask for today?

When flying cars are invented I'm moving underground. Cars on the surface are bad enough.

Helicopters are less fuel efficient than fixed-wing aircraft, but what about other vertical takeoff technology? Maybe a super-Osprey commercial version?

Could Zeppelins make a comeback?

I'm a huge fan of rail transportation, but was unaware the Meglev rail system had moved beyond the experimental phase. Can you give specifics on where these are?

One problem that has surfaced in recent years has been an aging fleet of airliners. Some airlines, however, are turning over their fleets regularly and adding new aircraft.

Certainly newer airliners are more fuel efficient. Most are also safer. But this isn't technology as much as it management at work.

Where can modern technology take us? Incidentally, the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner should be a huge leap forward--lighter due to composite construction, a more efficient design than even the 777. And it's big. Is bigger better?

Answer 1

We are not likely to see any major improvements in the aviation industry with the exception of minor advances in energy savings and equipment modifications. I think zeppelins returning would only happen as a leisure type venture similar to cruise ships, but I can't see them in competition with the ships.
If there are advances, it will be in the space travel industry. Private venture space programs are already in the works and are accepting buyers for their seats. RUSSIA as is known has already sold ride into space and NASA is planning the same.
If I could ask for an invention in travel it would be the transporter type device made famous in the movies like the FLY, and of course STAR TREK.

Answer 2

While I am a big fan of the personal jetpacks, I think that the next technology should be whatever will make air travel safer. I think perhaps vertical landings, and some other type of fuel should be used that will not pollute. The impracticality of the Concorde was the ridiculous price and the expense of fuel. Also, it literally went up in flames. If we could make the current or near-future air travel safer (via less dependence on moving parts coming off like the horrifying smash of the Alaskan Airlines in the California coast several years ago--the problem was the metal spire in the plane that had worn out and never been replaced) so that the planes do not crash, and became reliant on some other type of energy to fuel the planes/ships/whatevers that would allow the planes to control the take off and landing without the use of fiery fuel or non-ability to control the speed and velocity of landing and allow the planes to 'hover' to the ground and take off (NOT like helicopters--also too dangerous by far) that would alleviate the dangers. Also, I personally think we should have hovering or flying cars like on the Jetsons cartoons-no joke intended.

Answer 3

The technology is there. We are just strapped down by the fuel problem. Commercial airlines can fly much faster than they do now. But what's the point of having the technology if you will never use it due to cost? Brand new fuel technology is needed, not just efficiency.
I would like to see they put in the ability to fly planes from the ground. The pilot should have first control. But if something goes wrong, it would be nice if ground control can fly the plane by computer and land it.

Answer 4

That personal jet pack sounds like a blast for short trips! I've been in small planes, two four and six seaters as well as large jet planes.I would love to take a short trip in a hot air balloon!!! Hypersonic travel?? Whatever is the fastest.

Answer 5

a propulsion system that, instead of based on thrusting air our the back, pulls on the existing matter infront of it...such as a reverse ion engine...we still don't completely understand gravity or magnetism, but once we do we can find a way to attract matter to matter at the expense of energy...and if you think about it a pulling engine instead of a pushing engine would not need any aerodynamics, or atleast very little. Additionally once these forces can be controlled we can counteract centrifical (G-forces) and make aircraft extremely maneuverable without dammaging the passengers.

Answer 6

Flying Cars.

Answer 7

None of the above.
Meglev trains.
Since they don't touch the rail they are air transportation.
Quick, 300 mph, and use less energy than jets.
They are working well in Europe and Japan and marginally so due to poor implementation in the North East Corridor.

Answer 8

With our population rising, everyone will be writing bicycles, electric shuttle buses, and using corn syrup running airplanes for long distance as the main source of transportation.

Answer 9

with the price of plane fares rising, i would like to see more efficient airliners. that way prices could slowly lower, and then once more people start flying, develop bigger/faster airliners to accomodate those people.

Answer 10

Your question is too complicated ans involved for me, But, I think that a personal two-seater plane that hovers like a helicopter. Works best for parking!